Anthony Albanese has said One Nation was more likely to represent the interests of mining billionaire Gina Rinehart than working-class Australians and claimed David Pocock \u201cseeks to promote grievances\u201d to win support.<\/p>\n
In an hour-long YouTube interview<\/a> with Nine journalist Karl Stefanovic on his independent podcast on Tuesday afternoon, the prime minister discussed a range of topics, from Syrian detention camp repatriations to immigration and One Nation\u2019s surge in popularity.<\/p>\n Sign up: AU Breaking News email<\/a><\/p>\n Albanese is the first Labor politician to appear on the Karl Stefanovic Show which the Today show co-host launched as a solo venture four weeks ago. The guest list has been dominated by right-wing guests, including One Nation<\/a> politicians Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce, Liberal shadow minister Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and anti-immigration podcasters.<\/p>\n Screenshot from Karl Stefanovic podcast on Youtube. Photograph: Youtube\/Karl Stefanovic<\/p>\n While Albanese and Stefanovic were talking, third-party commentators published antisemitic statements and promoted Australian neo-Nazis on a live YouTube comment stream. The comments were later deleted.<\/p>\n Stefanovic did not respond to a request for comment about the stream, and it remains unclear who deleted the comments.<\/p>\n Albanese, who was interviewed at the Lodge, was asked if One Nation could win seats from Labor because they \u201cbetter represent\u201d working-class values.<\/p>\n Support for One Nation has risen since the 2025 federal election, with experts attributing the minor right-wing party\u2019s increased popularity to the Coalition\u2019s internal turmoil and anxiety over immigration<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThey oppose every advance that trade unions have ever made. They oppose \u2013 One Nation \u2013 one job, one pay, same job, same pay, which has made such a difference. They\u2019ve opposed the legislation that we\u2019ve done to enshrine penalty rates on weekends. They oppose the pay increases that were put for workers in the care sector, like aged care,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen people look at what policies they have, they don\u2019t represent working people. And of course, One Nation\u2019s greatest supporter, [ Hanson\u2019s] friend is Gina Rinehart. Last time I looked, [Rinehart\u2019s] not a working-class hero, but someone who\u2019s advocated cuts to wages and cuts to working conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n Hanson\u2019s ties with Rinehart<\/a> have been documented in recent years, with the Queensland senator accepting return flights between Brisbane and Florida on Rinehart\u2019s private jet in October<\/a> to attend the Conservative Political Action Conference and Donald Trump\u2019s Great Gatsby-themed Halloween party at Mar-a-Lago<\/a>.<\/p>\n Albanese said Hanson \u201crepresents someone who has always sought division. That is something that she has done throughout her career.<\/p>\n \u201cThe polling represents people \u2026 walking away from the Coalition \u2026 that is people expressing that frustration with the system that they think isn\u2019t working for them.\u201d<\/p>\n Albanese also took aim at progressive ACT senator Pocock when asked by Stefanovic about claims Australians, on average, were paying more tax on beer than mining companies were for the country\u2019s resources.<\/p>\n Initially believing the point to be from the Greens, Albanese said: \u201cThe Greens political party would shut down all of our industry if they had the chance\u201d.<\/p>\n Once clarified it was a point made by Pocock, the prime minister said: \u201cI think David Pocock<\/a> is someone who seeks to promote grievance as well\u201d.<\/p>\n Albanese was asked to respond to recent comments by Joyce, who told Stefanovic on an earlier podcast that immigrants from \u201cshithole\u201d countries should return to their countries if they did not abide by Australian values.<\/p>\n The prime minister said he didn\u2019t agree with the \u201clack of respect in that sentiment\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a non-discriminatory policy, and one of the things that people from war-torn places, who\u2019ve come here [for], is for a better life,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cTake our Vietnamese migrants that were pilloried for a while by some people, you know? They\u2019re incredible successes.\u201d<\/p>\n